Georgia’s 2nd Half rally comes up short

Box Score: Swarm at Knighthawks (Blue Cross Arena)

Team
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
Final

Georgia
1
4
6
4
15

Rochester
7
7
1
2
17

Photo Gallery

(Rochester, New York) – The Georgia Swarm used a second half rally to outscore the Rochester Knighthawks 11-3 in the final 30 minutes of preseason action Saturday night, but came up short in the fourth quarter, falling 17-15.

The Swarm struggled out of the gate against the Knighthawks and found themselves in a deep whole at halftime, trailing 14-5. After Shayne Jackson (1G, 3A) scored the game’s opening goal, the Knighthawks rattled off nine-straight goals to build a comfortable lead early in the second quarter. Rookie defenseman Connor Sellars (2G, 1A) finally stopped the bleeding when he won the ensuring faceoff and darted down the floor for an unassisted score, his first this preseason. Rochester rookie forward Josh Currier scored four goals in the first half to lead the Knighthawks' offensive attack.

In the second half, it was the Swarm who got hot on offense; Georgia outscored Rochester 11-3. Leading the charge was forward Kiel Matisz (4G, 3A) who matched Currier’s four-goal outburst, with four of his own in the second half. Matisz leads the Swarm with seven goals this preseason.

Georgia outscored Rochester 6-1 in the third quarter, and trailed 15-11 heading into the final 15 minutes of play. After Randy Staats (2G, 3A), the 2016 NLL Rookie of the Year, scored to open play in the fourth quarter, the Swarm climbed within three at 15-12 and held all momentum in the game. Rochester responded however with scores from newly acquired forward Kevin Ross and Dan Lomas to push its lead back to 17-12 with just over seven minutes to play.

Georgia opens the season at home against the two-time defending champion Saskatchewan Rush on Saturday, Jan. 7 at 7:05 p.m. ET from Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Field at Infinite Energy Arena. Fans can purchase Single-Game Tickets for all nine home games at www.GeorgiaSwarm.com/SingleGame

The Swarm is currently offering a special Home Opener Ticket & T-Shirt Package for only $99! Fans will receive (3) Lower-Level Sideline Tickets and (3) Swarm T-Shirts (a 4th Ticket and T-Shirt can be added to the package for only $20!). Call 844-4-GASWARM for purchasing info!

Swarm Leading Scorers

#46 Kiel Matisz – (4G, 3A)
#83 Randy Staats (2G, 3A)
# 4 Lyle Thompson (2G, 2A)
#32 Shayne Jackson (1G, 3A)
#13 Connor Sellars (2G, 1A)
#2 Miles Thompson – (2G, 1A)